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Science in Society Journalism Awards

Entries for the current year's contest open on December 1, 2016 and close on February 1, 2017. Entries submitted prior to December 1 will be disqualified.

How to Use this Site

To access the Awards Entry site, you need to be logged in. Click the button on the left to login. NASW members and those who already have NASW Guest Accounts can use their existing NASW website login information. New users will be prompted to create a new Guest Account.

When you are logged in, you will see a menu on the left. Before you are able to see options for creating entries, you will need to complete the information under "My Profile." Once you save your profile, click here to begin an entry.

The Purpose

The National Association of Science Writers established the Science in Society awards to provide recognition — without subsidy from any professional or commercial interest — for investigative or interpretive reporting about the sciences and their impact on society. NASW especially encourages entries of critical, probing pieces that would not receive an award from a special interest group. Beginning with the first award in 1972, winners have demonstrated innovative reporting that goes well beyond the science itself and into ethical problems and social implications. A committee of accomplished peers judges the entries each year.

The Awards

NASW will award separate cash prizes of $2,500 for writing judged best in each of five categories:

Books

Opinion

Science Reporting

Science Reporting for a Local or Regional Market

Longform Science Reporting (series or lengthy articles or broadcasts)

All prizes will be platform-independent. We’re open to entries from print, broadcast and online journalists.

The 2017 awards will be presented during the World Conference of Science Journalists October 26-30, 2017 in San Francisco. Reasonable travel and hotel expenses of the award winners will be reimbursed. In cases of multiple authors or producers, only one person’s expenses will be covered, and the prize money will be split between the entrants at their discretion. However, the prize money is intended for content authors or producers, not publications or news organizations.

Eligibility

Any writer (or team) is eligible to submit one entry in each category. All entries should be attributed to a bylined creator or creators. There is no fee to enter, and entrants need not be members of the National Association of Science Writers.